A load test has begun on the dilapidated Budapester Straße Bridge near Dresden Central Station. According to city officials, the test is intended to provide more detailed information about the stability of the prestressed concrete structure, which is largely closed due to numerous broken tension cables. If the results allow, the bridge could be gradually reopened to traffic.
During the test, four heavy-duty vehicles with progressively increasing weights will drive across the bridge, which will be continuously monitored. Sensors will record how the structure behaves under the load, whether further damage occurs, and how deformations and stresses develop. The test costs around 900,000 euros.
“326 metric tons will be applied in stages,” said test director Oliver Mosig before the start. The four vehicles will be loaded with additional weight in stages during the test to reach the planned total weight. “We want to use the load test to determine the bridge’s residual load-bearing capacity.” The goal is to determine whether it can be reopened in the future for reduced traffic, Mosig said.
